* Kashmiris become famous throughout Asia as learned, cultured an humane and intellectual contribution of writers, poets, musicians, scientists to the rest of India was comparable to that of ancient Greece to European civilization.
Spread of Islam

* A Buddhist priest Rinchen left his home in Ladakh, after the murder of his father and took refuge at King Shadeva’s court in Kashmir.
* Muslims from Swat, Shah Mir, came to Kashmir looking for work.
* Mongols (under Dulacha) invaded Kashmir in absence of Sahadeva. Continue reading →

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The slogan that has fuelled the Kashmiri struggle for ‘freedom’ – continues to elude us even after years of bloodshed, agony and pain. We – ‘hum’ refers to all who happen to live in Kashmir and cry out for… ‘Azadi’ – Freedom.

As ironical as it sounds each person who lives in Kashmir or identifies himself to this concept of Azadi continues to live on thinking that we want Azadi not knowing what exactly this means to them as a nation, as a people.

This need for freedom goes from individual level to the level of a nation – and at each level taking different meanings – remaining elusive, abstract, and unattainable.

As a nation, politically speaking – Kashmir wants freedom from Indian occupation. The reason is an amalgam of many reasons that not necessarily all the Kashmiris would agree upon. The reason ranges from the facts that are burried in the historical documents and events, to nationalistic reasons of seperation on basis of language, skin colour and a distinct culture, moving to immense hatred for India and its policies, to reasons which seem to be having a semblance to ‘need of a separate state based on ideology and religion.’ In reality nobody is quite sure of the reason(s).

The only thing we are sure of as a nation is that we have clung fast to this slogan from its very inception and have used it as a binding force, as a fuel to the so called freedom struggle. Today it loses much of its meaning, it loses the fervour it used to cause, it loses all the passion and emotion that it used to generate. The slogan is lost, just as the hope to achieve freedom is lost somewhere.

There have been politically master planned attempts to have people Kashmiris get rid of this slogan and take another… for e.g. I remember Mehbooba Mufti’s attempt to change to slogan to “Hum kya chahtay – shanti” (shanti for peace), and more recently I saw photographs of a “jaloos” with a placard with “Hum kya chahtay – insaaf” (insaaf for justice). Ironically, none of these is going to stay as an identity to the Kashmiri struggle. … and paradoxically, there cant be any semblance of peace and justice without freedom.

And freedom not just at the political front, but freedom of the nation — politically, economically, socially, religiously – and the freedom at the national level trickling down to the individual level.

Freedom from poverty, freedom from fear of going out of home after 6.00 p.m., freedom from the lies, freedom of expression, freedom from helplessness, freedom from that lump that rises in the throat and sends down tears…freedom to live life…

Truly we need freedom…
… for we are trapped
Trapped in our own desires…
…. unfulfilled, unaccounted for
Taunted by the fences…
… our freedom waits with
Tears in its eyes…
… for the hope
That is lost…

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We sit back and cry
As our brethren die
Yet, some of us are so great
That we start cursing the Muslim fate
Among us, there are some more
Who remark; “Muslims! There is no cure!”
While there are others least concerned?
When Muslims are killed and their houses burned

We are the Muslim Ummah?
Slaves of Kufr!

Muslims are we, proud we stand
Islam: its essence- we hardly understand!
O’ yes we had a great past
But no! Our future seems lost!
We used to be rulers, the leaders of the world
But today, enslaved! Laughing stock of the world
There was a time when we caused awe
Today we think of surviving each day

We are the Muslim Ummah?
Slaves of Kufr!

Some of us just don’t care
Miserable souls, got nothing to share
Our neighbour dies: we shut the doors
What Ummah? I cry, ” WHERE is that force?”
Muslims arise, you indifferent slaves
With what face, will ye face your graves?

We are the Muslim Ummah?
Slaves of Kufr!

With colonised minds, ready to prostate
In front of any power, lesser than The Great.
Escapists!
Lets face it!
We’re no better than the cattle in the meadow
Like grass, bending wherever the wind blows

We are the Muslim Ummah?
Slaves of Kufr!

But hey. Watch out! There sure is hope
If we all hold fast to Allah’s rope
With Iman and determination
Let us create a sensation.
Let us stop this enslavement of minds
For, one who strives is one who finds!

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I dont know how many of you have actually had people ask you… “Poz cha apuz?” (true or false) when you didnt even know what they were asking about, expecting an answer from you…

This is the koshur way of guessing.. like flipping a coin.. or plucking the petals of a flower out..and depending on the answer the other person makes some conclusions.. that put the heart at ease…

And such a blatant question to ask in a society where “apuz” is unfortunately the norm…brings so many question marks in my mind..

And again when I say “apuz” is the norm in our society.. it is not necssarily the big fat lies that poeple speak — it is the small and seemingly useless lies that form part of the way we converse.. It is strange how easily we are willing to lie about things that dont matter at all…

I mean… lying is never justifiable — but it certainly makes no sense when people lie without any gain.. for the sake of that hollow “self-esteem” at times, and a lot of times.. for no reason other than the fact that it is the accepted norm..